Skills and Personal Qualities

What are employers looking for?

Graduate recruiters assume that, as a current or future graduate, you are academically bright. Given, however, that they have a large number of graduates to select from you need something to make you stand out from the crowd. As well as your degree you need to have evidence of the skills you have developed through and in addition to your degree.  

The recruiters’ shopping list

There are many surveys researching what employers are looking for. The following are some of the key skills identified.

  • Adaptability and Flexibility
  • Written Communication Skills
  • Oral Communication Skills
  • Team-working Skills
  • Problem Solving Skills
  • Decision-making Skills
  • Research Skills
  • Negotiation Skills
  • Numeracy Skills
  • IT Skills

There are a number of other sources of employers’ requirements. These include employers’ brochures and application forms.  For more information see:

Making applications

Work experience

Volunteering at Keele www.keelesu.com/volunteering

Prospects (Employability Uncovered)

 

Making sure you have what’s on the list

You may already be acquiring the range of skills that you will need for your next step but just in case here are some tips on the types of activities that employers like to see on an application.

  • Be an active student. Make sure that you are not a passive learner. Make the most of opportunities to speak out in tutorial sessions, take on responsibility in group projects, force yourself to do presentations. This will give you a good foundation for illustrating skills on applications and at assessment centres whether for Financial Manager or Social Worker.
  • Get involved. There is more to being a student than studying (or socialising). Look at what else you can do at Keele. Take a look at the student societies; or other areas that might interest you. An active role writing articles for a student publication, organising conservation activities or representing students in your department could demonstrate motivation, communication skills, time-management and much more.
  • Do voluntary work. Essential for many career areas such as housing and probation work, voluntary work gives you the chance to try out career ideas and well as to do something worthwhile. For further information check Keele's Volunteering Project and information on this website covering work experience.
  • Find part-time work. You may well be doing this already but don’t simply treat it as route to making money. Work can give you insight into particular issues such as commercial awareness or customer service. It can also develop financial skills, people skills and team-work - all skills that employers are looking for. The Students’ Union Job Shop has details of part time vacancies for students.
  • Gain work experience. A great way to find out more about career areas, develop contacts,display motivation to potential employers and acquire more skills. Have a look at the work experience section of our website to find out more.
  • Travel. Not always affordable but when it is, travel can demonstrate independence, planning and adaptability - as well as being fun.

Come along to a drop-in session to talk to us about the best way for you to develop your skills profile.

Recording what you've got

Taking the time to record and reflect upon your skills will make sure that you don’t forget what you have done and what you got out of it. Keeping track should prove invaluable when you face graduate application forms and interviews and are are expected to describe in great detail an example of your use of team-work, your greatest achievement, how you deal with conflict. It should also help you to spot any areas of weakness that you need to improve upon before you get employers’ rejection letters through the door. 

 

Updated: 12 August 2013